Mine or torpedo.



P. L. E. DEL FUNGO-GIERA.

MINE 0R TORPEDO.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 11. 19m.

Patented June 5, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

JNchw-LIYNQ. WASHINGTON. n c.

P.'L. E. DEL FUNGO-GIERA.

I MINE OR TORPEDO.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1|. l9l6..

Patented June 5, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2- r @KQE MINE 0R TORPEDO.

- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 5, 1917.

Application filed May 11, 1916. Serial No. 96,8025.

To all whomz't may concern:

Be it known that I, Prrmirro L. E. DEL FUNGO-GIERA, a citizen ofSwitzerland, and a resident of New York city, New York, have invented anew and useful Improvement in Mines or Torpedoes, which inven tionis'fully set forth in the following specification.

The present invention is an improvement in automobile mines ortorpedoes, and the object of the present invention is to provide adevice of this character which will remain submerged at a predetermineddepth and will automatically travel in a regular zig-zag path.

The invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings, wherein Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view; and

Fig. 3 is a rear end elevation.

Fig. 4: illustrates diagrammatically an arrangement whereby thepropellers may be operated periodically and alternately.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals indicate likeparts, 5 indicates the charge-containing portion of the mine or torpedo,and 6 indicates the part of the mine in which the motor and other motivemechanism is contained. These two parts are connected together in anysuitable manner, as by means of bolts 7, a packing 8 being preferablyinterposed between said parts. A wall 10 separates the explosive chamberfrom the motor chamber.

The mine is provided with two propellers 11 and 12, one arranged on eachside of the medial foreandaft line. Each propeller is mounted on a shaft13 that passes into the mine through a stuffing box 14, and each shaftis connected to a suitable motor 15 in any desired manner. This motormay be either spring, electric, or driven by anv desired power, and isequipped with any suitable means for first driving one propeller for apredetermined period, then'automatically disconnecting said propellerand then driving the other propeller for a predetermined period. Thepropellers are successively, periodically and automatically operated, sothat, when the mine is placed in the water and headed for any desiredpoint, it will travel to that point in a zig-zag fashion, thus largelyincreasing the chances of the mine, or torpedo hitting the object forwhich it is intended or aimed. The motor andunechanism for successivelyand automatically driving the propellers are only illustrated in thedrawings diagrammatically, inasmuch as any suitable mechanism may beused for this purpose. Referring to Fig. 4, a suitable arrangement foroper atingthe propellers periodically and alternately is shown by adiagram wherein 50 and 51 represent the two branches of an electriccircuit leading from any suitable source of power. The former of thesebranches is divided, as shown at 52, 52, and connected with the twoelectric motors 15 and 15', from which extend the propeller shafts 18.The latter of these branches leads to a disk 53 of electricallyconductive material, said disk being provided atv spaced points on itsperiphery with two inserts 54: and 54 of insulating material. Contactstrips or springs 55 and 55 are in circuit with the motors byconnections 56 and 56, and are designed to alternately engage theperiphery of disk 53 and the inserts 54: and 54. To oscillate the disk53 in opposite directions intermittently, to engage alternate contacts55 and 55 with the periphery of the disk or the inserts 54 and 54alternately, said disk is mounted on an oscillatory shaft 57 whichcarries a sleeve 58 provided with pins 59 and 59. Said pins arealternately engaged by pins 60 and 60 on speed-reduction gearing 61 and62 driven from the propeller shafts as shown. Assuming motor 15 to berunning, contact'55 engages the periphery of disk 53, while contact 55engages insert 54. Current is now led to motor 15 through wire 51, disk53, contact 55, and wire 56, and out through wires 52 and 50. After apredetermined time, pin 60 is rotated by reduction gearing 61 to aposition where it engages pin 59 and oscillates shaft 57 and disk 53,moving insert 54 under contact 55 and engaging contact 55 with theperiphery of said disk.

Current is then led to motor 15 through wire 51, disk 53, contact 55 andwire 56, and out through wires 52 and 50. After a predetermined time,pin 60 is rotated by reduction gearing 62 to a position where it engagespin 59 and oscillates shaft 57 and disk 53, restoring the mechanism tothe condition first assumed.

Preferably, the inner end of each shaft 13 is provided with a bevelpinion 16 which meshes with a bevel gear 17 mounted on one end'of ashaft 18 that passes through a sup porting wall 19 and which is drivenby the motor 15.

The wall 19 is secured in place in any desired manner, as by angleplates 20 and bolts 21.

The mechanism for firing the torpedo or mine is mounted at the front endthereof and includes a firing pin 22 provided with a contact head 28.This firing pin projects through a stuffing-box 2a and a housing 25 forsaid stuiiing-box. Preferably, a spring is also carried by said housing25 and associated with said firing pin 22, in order to hold the samenormally in the position shown in Fig. 1.

The firing pin also projects through a guide 26 between which and a wall27 is carried the priming charge. Preferably, a container 28 incloses asupply of sulfuric or other suitable acid 29, and a container 80 carriesan explosive 31 which will be detonated when the acid in the container28 contacts therewith. Obviously any other suitable type of contactfiring mechanism may be employed, if desired. Openings 32, 83 areprovided in the wall 27, in order that the main explosive charge may bedetonatedpromptly upon the breaking of the container 28 by the firingpin 22. The wall 27 is secured in place in any desired manner, as by thebracket members 34L and bolts 35 and 36. Any desired explosive may becarried by the torpedo or mine, but preferably there is employedtri-nitro-toluol, wet gun-cotton, or dynamite. Before the explosive isplaced in the mine, the latter is preferably coated interiorly withliquid glass to protect the charge, and on top of the main explosivecharge there is preferably placed a quantity of mono nitro naphthalene.When the mine is exploded, the mono-nitronaphthalene gives off a denseblack smoke which completely envelops a vessel or other object struck,thus preventing signaling, re pair, or rescue.

Means are provided for maintaining the mine at a desired degree ofsubmergence, and preferably these means consist of a weighted or ballastfin or keel 37 which is movable into and out of guides 38 and Suitableretaining means are provided for holding the fin in place in its guidesand, as here shown, bolts 40 are provided for this purpose.

The greater sired to drive the mine, the heavier is the fin employed;and preferably a set of two or more fins of different weight is alwaysavailable.

A safety valve 41 normally closes an opening in the rear of the mine,and this valve, which is mounted on a stem 42, is normally held in itsclosed position by a spring 43. The rear end of the valve stem 42engages a housing 44: which is secured to the wall the depth at which itis de-' 19 by bolts or other suitable retaining means 415. This housingis of suitable structure, such that, at the end of a predeterminedperiod of submergence (as for example twentyfour hours), the housingwill collapse or be destroyed, thus'permitting the safety valve 41 toopen. Thus the housing limay be made of frangible material and providedinteriorly with timing mechanism, diagrammatically shown at 46, suchmechanism having a suitable device, as the hammerindicated at 4-7, tobreak said housing after a predetermined time. Thereupon the mine isflooded and sinks to the bottom, thereby preventing accidentaldischarge.

While, for the purpose of illustration, one expression of the inventiveidea has been shown and described .in detail, it will be understoodthattheinventive idea is susceptible of various mechanical embodimentswithin the limits of the appended claims.

What is claimed is 1. In a traveling mine or torpedo, the combination ofmotive mechanism, two propellers one arranged on each side of the medialfore-and-aft line of the torpedo, and .means whereby said propellers areautomatically operated to drive the torpedo periodically and alternatelyin directions inclined to a medial course. v V

2. In a traveling mine or torpedo, the combination of motor mechanism,two propellers one arranged on each side of the medial fore-and-aft lineof the structure, and means for automatically driving said propellersalternatingly and periodically.

3. In a traveling mine or torpedo, the combination of motive mechanism,two propel lers one arranged on each side of 'a medial fore-and-aft lineof the torpedo, and means to automatically and periodically drive saidpropellers in succession to propel the'torpedo alternately in directionsinclined to a 7 medial course.

4. In a traveling mine or torpedo, the combination of motor mechanism,means for driving said mine in a Zig-zag path, and means forinterchangeably securing to the body of said mine or torpedo any one ofa plurality of substitutive ballast fins or keels of different weight topredetermine the depth of submergence thereof.

5. In a mine or torpedo, a body containing a bursting charge, a fin orkeel, and means for interchangeably securing to said body any one of aplurality of substitutive ballast fins or keels of different weight topredetermine the depth of submergence thereof.

6. In a traveling mine or torpedo, the combination of motor mechanism,means for driving said mine in a zig-zag path, and

mine, a destructible housing controlling said valve and means fordestroying said housing.

7 In a mine or torpedo, a body containing a bursting charge, and means'for automatically sinking the mine after a predetermined period, saidmeans comprising a valve to admit Water to said body, a destructiblehousing controlling said valve and means 10 for destroying said housing.

8. In a traveling mine or torpedo, the combination of a body containinga bursting charge, motive mechanism Within said body, and means coactingWith said motive mechanism for automatically propelling said minealternately in directions crossing a medial course at an inclination.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification.

PHILIPPO L. E. DEL FUNGO-GIERA.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

